


Lethe's Bramble

by noodlerdoodler



Series: Hargreeves Appreciation Week [4]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Related, David "Dave" Katz Lives, Dead Reginald Hargreeves, Good Sibling Vanya Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, M/M, Unreliable Narrator, Veteran Klaus Hargreeves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26011705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodlerdoodler/pseuds/noodlerdoodler
Summary: “Why are you being so nice to me?” Klaus whined, although he was more than willing to snuggle up on the couch while Dave fetched him a blanket, “I don’t have any more drugs if that’s what you want.”“Not really my thing,” Dave told him, unfolding the blanket and tossing it over him easily, “I guess… it just seems like you need someone to take care of you. Sorry if that sounds weird.”“You’re much sexier than the orderlies in rehab, you’ve got that going for you,” Klaus smothered a yawn behind his hand and gave him a sultry, lopsided grin that made Dave melt on the spot, “Thanks, Dave, I mean it.”
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz, Vanya Hargreeves & David "Dave" Katz
Series: Hargreeves Appreciation Week [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884436
Comments: 25
Kudos: 246





	Lethe's Bramble

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [my heart is playing hide and seek (wait and count to four)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953280) by [ghostbythesea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostbythesea/pseuds/ghostbythesea). 
  * Inspired by [Sunflower, Raise Your Heavy Head and Face the Sun!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23158615) by [ObliqueOptimism](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObliqueOptimism/pseuds/ObliqueOptimism). 



The first time that Dave had seen the man stumbling down the alley, using the wall to support himself, he was wearing a patchwork coat and had a head of rumpled curls. He’d rummaged through the dumpster for a few minutes, before he found a stale bagel and plopped himself down to nibble on it. To Dave at least, it was obvious that this man- no, _teenager_ \- was homeless and possibly drunk (he had a flask tucked into the pocket of his coat) but he figured it was none of his business. 

Now, though, he went to investigate when he heard the sound of somebody muttering to themselves under their breath and found the man had returned to the back alley. Although the man had a clean shave, his hair now fell in tousled waves rather than the short curls Dave had seen the first time. The patchwork coat was gone, (sold? Pawned? Lost?), and the man was sporting a tight ombre crop top, paired with some leather pants.

He was slumped against the wall as he mumbled to himself, playing with some dog tags that hung around his neck in an effort to comfort himself. It was obvious to Dave that he must either be having a bad trip or a bad comedown. The sweating suggested the latter. 

“Hey, Klaus?” Dave called out and the man looked up. 

It took a minute for his eyes, which were glazed over, to focus on Dave. He had the most beautiful green eyes. 

The man’s hand dropped from his dog tags, one falling to his side and the other one pointing vaguely at Dave, “How do you know my name? Did we… have a one night stand or something? You’re very my type but I’d have to see you without the jacket to know for sure.” 

A hospital band was dangling off his wrist but looked grubby, as if he’d got out a few days prior. 

“Lucky guess. You, uh, were talking to yourself in the third person,” Dave told him, taking a step towards him and holding out a hand to pull him up, “Rough night?”

He didn’t take his hand. In fact, he didn’t even seem to notice that it was extended. 

“Yeah! Yeah, something like that,” Klaus managed a shaky laugh, pulling one knee up to his chest and hugging it, “Wait, wait a minute, are you a cop? Legally, you have to tell me if you’re a cop.” 

When it became obvious the man wasn't going to take his hand, Dave lowered it again.

“Nope, not a cop. Just a well-meaning citizen checking in with his fellow man,” He crouched down beside the man, so that he could be at eye level with him, “Do you have a place to go tonight, Klaus?”

“I give excellent head if that’s what you’re asking,” Klaus smirked at him, lewdly. 

Admittedly, this wasn’t the direction that Dave had been expecting the conversation to go in. He worked with war vets, ( _when he wasn’t out picking up strays_ , his friends liked to joke), and was used to vulnerable people using humour to deflect their pain. However, it didn’t seem like Klaus was joking. He winked at Dave and pulled himself up with some difficulty, stumbling forward into him. It wasn’t clear if he had intended to close the space between them or if he was just that unsteady on his feet- probably a little bit of both.

Easily, Dave caught him and held him by the shoulders, making sure to keep him at arm’s length. For a moment, he studied him: Klaus was obviously in a real state, his skin hot and clammy to the touch and his sentences slurring together, which tugged at Dave’s heartstrings. Scratch having sex with him- not that it had ever really been on the cards- it was more like Dave wanted to give the poor thing a bubble bath and tuck him into bed. He steeled himself.

“Klaus, I don’t to have sex with you,” He told him firmly, eliciting a groan form the other man, “But if you need a place to stay or, uh, if you need me to take you somewhere or have someone you need to call, your family-“

Slumping his shoulders, Klaus let out a groan, “My brother’s going to kill me.”

“Let’s just head inside, hm? Get you out of the cold?” Dave offered, gently nudging the man in the direction of the street, “We can talk about what to do with you when we get there.”

“I know what I want you to do with me,” Klaus made eyes at him, leaning his head on Dave’s shoulder. If nothing else, he was very comfortable around people he didn’t know. A little too comfortable for Dave’s liking. What if someone with worse intentions had stumbled across him?

Staggering inside was difficult, Klaus barely able to keep himself upright as he swayed on his feet. In the end, Dave supported him by wrapping an arm around the other man’s shoulders and steering him in the right direction. Klaus seemed to give up on making it there on his own, flopping against him and keeping his head on Dave's shoulder. His body moulded against Dave’s, warm against his side, and he fit perfectly into the crook of his arm. Stray strands of Klaus's dark wavy hair tickled his neck.

Entering the apartment, he finally stumbled away from Dave and practically threw himself face-down on the couch, his sneakered feet dangling off the arm. He was a little too tall for the couch but seemed unbothered by this. He moaned into the cushions and muttered something incomprehensible to himself.

“Are you hungry?” Dave flipped the lights on and headed into the kitchen, making sure to keep an eye on the man on his couch. When he didn’t get a response, he figured that food was probably a good idea anyway, sliding frozen waffles into the toaster. Maybe it would help him sober up, ground him a little. God only knew when Klaus had last eaten.

Hesitantly, he called, “Do you remember how you got here?”

Again, there was silence. However, this time Dave got the sense that it was because the man didn’t know rather than because he was ignoring him. He returned to the couch with waffles, (stacked with cream and syrup, of course), on a plate and put them down on the coffee table. As still as a corpse, Klaus didn’t move a muscle and this sent a shiver of fear down Dave's spine. What if he’d passed out there? Did he need to call an ambulance? He had no idea what he'd taken and when.

He prodded Klaus gently, saying his name, until he groaned and shifted upright into a sitting position. 

When he saw the waffles, his pretty eyes lit up, “Waffles are my favourite! How did you know?”

“Everyone loves waffles,” Dave shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips, “Reckon you can keep them down?”

Optimistically, Klaus nodded at him and dug in immediately, piercing one of the waffles with a fork. It was almost impressive how he managed to fit the entire thing in his mouth, if a little gross, and Klaus made a joke about his gag reflex after he swallowed. Another two waffles followed the first one before a wave of nausea seemed to wash over him. Suddenly, he turned pale and went quiet, putting his fork back down. The last waffle sat untouched on the plate. 

Mumbling something about comedowns, Klaus collapsed back onto the couch, laying on his back this time, and pressed a hand to his stomach. It was tempting for Dave to just let him fall asleep there, warm and with a belly full of waffles. The dark circles around his eyes, combined with the yawn he had to stifle, showed just how long it had been since Klaus had last slept. But he had to make sure Klaus touched base with his family first, to make sure they knew he was safe.

“Klaus,” He murmured, rousing him gently and feeling awful about it, “I’ll get the phone. You can call your brother- uh, or whoever- and let them know that you’re somewhere safe for the night.”

Letting out a shaky laugh, Klaus shook his head, “He couldn’t care less if I was rotting in that dumpster behind your building. In fact, he’d probably be grateful. At least then he wouldn’t have to put up with me anymore.” 

“Just… please? Then, I can lend you something clean to wear and you can get some rest. Alright?” Dave reached out and touched his arm, knowing his sadness was showing on his face.

The idea that nobody cared about Klaus, that nobody cared if he was alive or dead, was like a gut-punch for him. His expression seemed to stir something in Klaus, who nodded and made grabby-hands like an infant that wanted his toy, making them both laugh. 

True to his word, Dave went to grab the phone for him and then stopped where he was. Something drew his attention. In the hallway, above where he kept the landline phone, hung a noticeboard where he kept the odd note, a fistful of flyers he’d been handed, and a picture of his old regiment. Slowly, tenderly, he brushed a finger over the crumpled photo and his hand lingered over the man next to him in the picture. 

They’d become good friends out there, (more than good friends), and it had hurt a great deal to lose him. 

“What’s your name by the way?” Klaus asked, taking the phone in his 'hello' hand and dialling.

Rescuing the abandoned waffle from the table and stuffing half of it in his mouth, Dave mumbled through his mouthful, “Dave. First Lieutenant David Katz, if you want to get formal about it.”

“Oh, I do so love a man in uniform,” Klaus sighed, putting his 'goodbye' hand to his chest, before he put the phone to his ear and slumped back on the couch, “Hey Vanny, it’s me. Your _favourite_ brother.”

Retreating to his bedroom quickly, Dave thought that it was probably best to give him some privacy while he spoke on the phone. It wasn't his business what they were talking about. He decided to pick out something clean for Klaus to wear- wondering briefly if it was worth trying to get him the shower or if he was simply too exhausted- and opened his wardrobe, scanning it for his old clothes. They'd fit Klaus. Whistling to him, Dave picked out a striped t-shirt and some black pants, checking Klaus was done on the phone before returning to him.

He tossed the clothes to him and Klaus fumbled to catch them, looking at them for a moment too long before seemingly shaking off whatever he was thinking about. 

Leaning against the doorway, Dave said, “You’re free to use my bathroom if you want to clean up a bit. I have a bathtub,” This made Klaus perk up, “But I don’t want you to accidentally drown yourself in it, so it’s showers only tonight.”

Shaking his head, Klaus looked put out by being refused a bath and stuck out his lower lip. He looked like a little boy who'd been told he couldn't have anymore candy and Dave had to swallow a laugh. Still huffing, Klaus pulled off his converse shoes without bothering to untie the laces and tossed them across the room haphazardly. His socks followed suit. When he started wriggling out of his tight leather pants, Dave flushed and turned to face the wall to give him some privacy. 

He directed his words over his shoulder, “Did you tell your family where you were?”

“I told Vanya. She was pleased,” A pause, “It sounded like she knew who you were. Said you were a good guy, you wouldn’t hurt me.”

Slowly, Dave said, “Vanya? Last name Hargreeves?” He was met by an affirmative murmur, “She used to teach my little sister violin. It’s weird that she’d remember me though.”

“Vanny remembers everyone. She’s a sweetheart,” Klaus said, “You can turn around now.” 

When he turned back around, Klaus was still shirtless. Clearly, he had no problem with him looking at him. Before he could stop himself, Dave’s eyes trailed from the sharp lines of his collarbones, down his pale chest, and came to rest on his protruding hips. He needed feeding up and his skin was pallid with sickness but, god, if Klaus wasn’t the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. 

Smirking, as if he could read minds, Klaus tugged the shirt on over his head and pulled it over his tantalising hips. Dave released a breath that he hadn’t realised he’d been holding and picked up the phone, just for something to do, and replaced it in the receiver with a click. He noted that Klaus seemed more lucid now than when he’d pulled him out of the alley, which was definitely a good sign. Even he was still a little drowsy and feverish.

“I don’t have a spare room but you’re welcome to the couch,” Dave told him, hands on his hips as he worked out a plan, “In the morning, I can drop you off wherever you want to go.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Klaus whined, although he was more than willing to snuggle up on the couch while Dave fetched him a blanket, “I don’t have any more drugs if that’s what you want.”

“Not really my thing,” Dave told him, unfolding the blanket and tossing it over him easily, “I guess… it just seems like you need someone to take care of you. Sorry if that sounds weird.”

“You’re much sexier than the orderlies in rehab, you’ve got that going for you,” Klaus smothered a yawn behind his hand and gave him a sultry, lopsided grin that made Dave melt on the spot, “Thanks, Dave, I mean it.” 

While he settled on the couch, Dave took the opportunity to clean up a little: washing up a few plates that he’d left in the sink, throwing Klaus’s clothes in the washer, and placing a few quiet phone calls. As he moved around the apartment, he was careful to keep his footsteps as soft as possible so that it didn’t disturb Klaus as he dropped off into sleep, blinking out like a light. He tried to keep his mind off the fact that Klaus was here, on his couch of all places, and that he had no memory of how he’d got there. Still, he couldn’t help glancing at his sleeping form now and then to make sure that his chest was still rising and falling at regular intervals. 

He was just putting a glass of water on the coffee table beside Klaus, in case he woke up thirsty in the night, when there was a gentle knock at the door. Careful not to disturb the other man, Dave went quickly to the door and pulled it open, revealing a small woman with mousy hair tied in a ponytail. Dave had been expecting her. He ushered her inside and into the bedroom quickly.

"How is he?" Vanya was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

“He's okay, just running a slight fever. I found him out back, on the floor. He doesn’t have any idea how he got here,” Dave filled her in quickly, “He doesn’t… He doesn’t have a clue who I am.” 

There wasn't a word to describe how much it hurt. To see Klaus like this day after day, treating him like a stranger.

Vanya winced and touched his arm, where his tattoo was, sympathetically, “I know it's rough, Dave. I’m just glad that you found him before anybody else could.” 

A sense of panic had rippled through Klaus’s support network when Diego sent round a message to say that his brother had slipped away from rehab. He’d told the centre that he was going to Diego’s but he never showed up- it wasn't clear if he'd just gotten lost on the way there or if he'd never intended to arrive in the first place. At the best of times, it wasn’t good when a relative went missing, especially when it was an amnesiac war victim that could summon ghosts. Yeah. Tough break. Dave couldn’t describe the relief that had swum over him when he heard somebody rifling around in the dumpster behind his apartment, muttering under their breath to themselves. 

It reminded him of how they’d first met: a gangly teenager with a head of curls stumbling down the alley, one hand propped against the wall to hold himself up, and looking in the trash for something to eat. Dave had figured he was just a junkie and nearly walked away from him, not because he didn’t care but because he thought it wasn’t right to stick his nose in. If that man wanted to rummage in the dumpster behind his new apartment, it wasn't any of his concern- he just wished he had time to buy him a coffee.

“Hey, man, where you going?” The guy called out to him and Dave had told him that he was on his way to enlist in the army, “Oh, is it cool if I come with you? I look great in uniform.”

Dave had thought he was joking, (who signs up on a whim?), but had let him tag along. 

Klaus followed him all the way to the frontline. Until a bullet in the brain damaged his memory. 

Just remembering how quickly Dave had fallen head-over-heels for Klaus made him smile, tears forming in his eyes. He could still remember when they'd been easy with each other, chatting, joking, and kissing. Now... the man he loved didn't know him from Adam.

Vanya looked at him sadly, watching a tear drip down his cheek. Wordlessly, she reached out and pulled him into a gentle hug, her arms wrapping around his middle and her face pressing into her chest. After they’d returned from the war, Dave had assimilated into the Hargreeves family overnight out of necessity and Vanya was definitely the one he was closest with. Klaus’s memory problems were hard for all of them but she was the most apt at dealing with them, reminding him regularly about the injury and that he suffered from amnesia.

It was hard having to tell Klaus over and over again who he was. Sometimes, Klaus would get very upset that he couldn’t remember any of it or angry that everybody was “lying to him about a life he hadn’t lived”. Over time, the pain should've lessened each time Dave had explained it to him. But it didn't. Which is why, sometimes, like tonight, it was easier not to go over it with him again. Just play the part of the kindly stranger. Even if it was painful for Klaus to look at him the way he did, as if he'd just seen him for the first time.

As far as Klaus was concerned, he was eighteen or nineteen, fresh out of his family home and living on the streets. An alcoholic and a junkie, going nowhere in life. He didn’t remember meeting Dave or enlisting with him, let alone the years they’d spent together. He didn't remember that his father, Reginald Hargreeves, had died years ago. He was still scared his father was after him. Temporarily, they’d played with the idea of moving Klaus back into their family home, where Grace could look after him, but he’d just panic every time he woke up there.

Nowadays, Klaus was jostled between Dave, his brother Diego, and his sister Vanya. Except when he was in rehab to deal with his renewed addiction problems- or when he blanked everything and ran away in a panic, assuming he had nowhere to go. 

“He always ends up coming back here,” Dave mumbled into Vanya’s hair, pressing his hands against her back to feel something real and solid outside of his memories, “Every time he runs away, he comes back here. But he still doesn’t remember who I am.”

She pulled back, giving him a kind look, “He must feel like it’s a safe place in the back of his mind. Like, uh, in his subconscious? It can't be a bad thing that something sticks in his mind, even if he doesn’t realise it.” She glanced in the direction of the front room, “Did you tell him? About his memory and stuff?”

Looking away, Dave wiped a tear away, “I, uh, I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it again.”

“Want me to stay with you? I could talk him through it again in the morning,” Vanya offered.

Dave nodded, trying to take a deep breath. No doubt, when Klaus woke up in the morning he'd have no idea where he was or remember that Dave had brought him into the warm the night before.

He definitely wouldn't remember that Dave was his boyfriend of several years, that they'd served in Afghanistan together, or that they'd planned a life together for when they got back. Klaus wouldn't remember that, shortly before the accident, Dave had gotten down on one knee for him. Klaus didn't know that he wore David Joseph Katz's dog tags around his neck every single day, which he had given him because they didn't have a ring- how much they'd both laughed about it at the time.

Dave didn’t know how many times the love of his life could break his heart before he wasn’t able to put it back together again.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, when Dave picked out "his old clothes" he was referring to clothes Klaus had left behind at his apartment. Because Klaus has been to that apartment many, many times. He just doesn't remember any of it :(


End file.
